It may sound like something out of a horror movie, but a knife-wielding robot could help forensic investigators learn more about an attack.

Researchers have developed a 'stabbing robot' that offers at least 60 possible stabbing positions and an interchangeable knife holder that allows for a range of stabbing implements to be analyzed by experts.

The technology will assist investigators in understanding the type of knife, angle of the attack and stabbing technique used just by looking at the tears and distortions in the fabric around a wound.

Scroll down for video

Researchers have developed a 'stabbing robot' that offers at least 60 possible stabbing positions and an interchangeable knife holder that allows for a range of stabbing implements to be analyzed by experts

HOW IT WORKS

The knife-wielding robot consists of a motorized arm with a pneumatic system designed to deliver 60 unique stabbing positions.

A pneumatic system is a type of engineering that uses gas or pressurized air, which the team implemented power the stabbing arm.

The knife holder is a clamp positioned on a customized mount that is attached to the arm of the pneumatic actuator.

Experts conducted tests with four different types of knives and found they were able to identify distinct patterns for each one.

The FBI has noted that it is three times more likely that a murder will opt to use a knife over a rifle or shotgun.

However, in order to catch criminals, experts need to understand clues left on the victim - tears and distortions in the fabric around a stab wound.

And researchers at the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Santa Cruz do Sul in Brazil believe their 'stabbing robot' is the key to unmasking these perpetrators.

'Analysis of damaged apparel may provide important information about the cause of death and the events leading up to and after the victim's final moments,' the team shared in the study that describes the development of a horizontal stabbing machine with an interchangeable knife holder to simulate stab events.

The knife-wielding robot consists of a motorized arm with a pneumatic system designed to deliver 60 unique stabbing positions.

A pneumatic system is a type of engineering that uses gas or pressurized air, which the team implemented power the stabbing arm.

Share this article

The knife holder is a clamp positioned on a customized mount that is attached to the arm of the pneumatic actuator.

During tests, the team used four different knife styles and setup blue fabric to acts as the stabbing victim, Popular Science reported.

After the robot thrust each knife into the fabric, researchers were able to identify distinct patterns.

The team noted that 'the laundered fabric samples were then mounted onto a 600 400 100 mm polyurethane foam block (35 kg/m3 ) which has previously been reported to be an appropriate skin stimulant'.

The first knife had a straight spine, sharp tip and smooth cutting edge, which causes a clean-cut in the fabric.

The knife holder is a clamp positioned on a customized mount that is attached to the arm of the pneumatic actuator. During tests, the team used four different knife styles and setup blue fabric (pictured) to acts as the stabbing victim

However, researchers found that knife 1 cut the textile with no distortion around the severance cut.

Knife 2 created similar damage as the first knife, because they share similar blade characteristics - smooth cutting edge, small angled blade tip and rapid widening of the blade along the blade length.

'Closer examination revealed that the yarn ends at the top of the severance cut were clean cut, and in a planar array, but due to the angle, large breadth and large widening of the blade caused the yarn ends to be pushed into the simulant and distorting course fibers and yarn,' the team wrote in the study.

The team was able to find differences in the penetrating angle, severance lengths and physical characteristics of textile damage were evident for the four knives tested

The technology will assist investigators in understanding the type of knife, angle of the attack and stabbing technique used just by looking at the tears and distortions in the fabric around a wound

Knife 3 shows heavy distortion about the top and base of the severance length due the serrated cutting edge pulling on the cotton, which was caused by the straight spine pulling the fabric inward as the blade moved in an angled upward direction.

The curved spine and serrated edge of Knife 4 created a shearing pattern at the top and base of the severance cut. Clean cut yarns could be identified in the approximate center of all the severance cuts in the nine examined stabbing positions, reflecting the sharp blade tip.

'Differences in the penetrating angle, severance lengths and physical characteristics of textile damage were evident for the four knives tested,' reads the study.

'With this machine we will be able to perform systematic experiments to precisely understand the behavior of textile damage caused by knives.'